A Matter of Praying…Part 3 – Direct Connection to God
Prayer
We have a direct connection to the Creator, to the Holy Father, the God of all flesh, the One who called those things that are not into being. (Romans 4:17)
This relationship is a two-way street, where there is giving and taking. God gives and we take. Not one good thing would he withhold to those who walk uprightly. We cannot hoodwink God. He knows all things, he knows the heart and every motive. If we ask for things to only consume them in our lust, we will not receive those things. We need to remember who He is. (Psalm 84:11), (James 4:3)
As we get closer to God, the things we want seem to fall in line with his desires for us. Sometimes, we call on him not knowing what to ask for, but being sealed with the Holy Spirit, He makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. The Spirit mingles a sweet savor to the Father who accepts our prayers with all joy, because the Father likes to hear the voices of his children.
As we read of Him in the Bible we begin to understand Him more and more. He reveals Himself in the pages of his Word, because it is there we get a taste of his character. As we see that He is good, we seek to please him. We want more of Him so we approach him in prayer on our knees, on our face. We humble our self knowing we are nothing before Him. Like Moses who took off his shoes and King David who washed, shaved, and changed his clothes before coming before the true and living God, we too have this privilege and we should own it with all Reverence; giving Him the glory, the honor that is due to him.
Tristram and Isolde by William John Waterhouse- 1916
In medieval times, acts of chivalry were used by knights to demonstrate commitment, respect, compassion and trust as well as to show noble bravery to a lady when pursuing an honourable relationship with her.
Chivalry is still alive today and can be seen in acts of kindness such as opening a door, pulling out a chair or as simple as returning a warm greeting. Valentine’s Day supports a somewhat chivalrous behaviour by the giving of flowers, chocolate, having a candlelight dinner or showing love and compassion to others in kind words and deeds.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91 verse 1
Secret place is a personal relationship with God which guarantees full and complete insurance coverage – “He will hide me, safely hide me in the shadow of His hand”. The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
Can a single person find love while social distancing?
It can be lonely living in isolation in a one bedroom apartment or in a house with a lot more room with only the walls to talk to day in and day out. That laptop is getting boring as you binge on those episodes of you favorite show you just didn’t have time to watch before that Coronavirus took over your life and the world. Since then things have never been the same: no more drinks after work with the office friends, shopping with girlfriends, no weekend trips with a group of friends and finally, no first date nights.
What is there to do when there is the need to socialize and meet that special someone?
Dating sites are seeing spikes in online connections. Sites such as OKCupid are reporting a jump in daters sending more than 35 million introduction messages in March about 4 million greater connections than last year and a 5 % increase in long term relationships. ( Erin Carson of CNET – April 19, 2020) Match.com has even added a new feature a new video calling service Vibe Check for social distancing singles and a 1-888 number to ask questions with a Relationship Expert for free advise. Other dating sites are doing something similar.
Relationship experts are calling online connections with dating apps, streaming services and digital face timing the rise of modern courtship. The loose definition of courtship is a period of development leading to an intimate relationship. Basically, it is a time when the couple forms a bond.
Healthy communicating brings transparency into any kind of relationship and tackling these issues becomes easier. It helps to build trust –
lovebondings.com
Transfer of information from one person to the other is a good way to get to know someone; a great way to see if there is first, some kind of connection that can eventually lead further.
Meeting someone virtually may not be a bad idea. There are so many sites out there today that allow the user to feel safe while connecting to a stranger. But dating sites are still not for everyone.
If you do venture on one of these sites, take things nice and slow. Sometimes just connecting to someone as a pen pal is just as satisfying, because you get to share experiences and interests. Being a friend can help someone else having a hard time while being alone. And it is friendship that can last the longest when everything else is out of control. Remember everyone has some kind of agenda: bad or good.
Stay within the safety of the dating site. Some sites such as Christian Café and eHarmony have safety zones and strongly recommend at the beginning not to connect with personal e-mail or phone numbers but to use their messaging system for safety reasons. Be aware and stay safe.
Dating in 2020
There is no right answer for single folks out there to find friendship or love while social distancing. We have to adhere to government rules in order to flatten the curve so that things will come back to some kind of normalcy. What that new normal will look like is something we will have to wait and see, but we can discuss projections at a later date.
As a Born Again Believer, I like to pray first before jumping into anything new. Maybe praying about a matter before heading out wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Next up? What to do on a date while social distancing?
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psalm 91 verse 1
This verse is a promise from God or a snapshot of comfort
The Secret Place is a personal relationship with God (the Most High or the Almighty). Words of comfort from God are always true and pure. A relationship with God guarantees full and complete insurance coverage. He will give protection, guidance, counsel, love and much more. There is nothing He will withhold because all things are available to us – to those who love Him.
jemfinds - Hello World 2.0 